For many years, shin splints have been a common injury or condition plaguing runners. Natural body movements such as arising from a sitting position, climbing stairs, standing on the toes, running and jumping have consistently exercised the muscles of the plantar flexion including the gastro cnemius, soleus, tibialius posterior, flexor digitorum longus, and the flexor hallucis longus. These actions cause the muscles of the plantar flexion to become significantly stronger and better conditioned than the muscles of the dorsal flexion. These latter muscles include the tibialius anterior, extensor digitorum longus, extensor hallucis longus, and the peroneus tertius.
When serious training for running begins, little attention has ordinarily been given to the dorsal flexion muscles. This neglect allows the much stronger plantar flexors to overwork the dorsal flexors resulting in the tearing of the periosteum along the tibia bone. This tearing causes swelling and pain and is referred to as shin splints.
The present exercising device, when used regularly under a training program conditions the dorsal flexion muscles and balances the strength of these muscles with that of the plantar flexion muscles. Resistive exercise using the subject device should begin well in advance of hard training. The instant exercising device provides the required isolation of the dorsal flexion muscles in order that resistance can be applied effectively. Used on a regular basis, the dorsal flexors will become stronger and aid during training to significantly reduce or alleviate the problem of shin splints.